Raggedy Anne
by Droiture LeReve
Summary: Jack and Sally have a daughter, Annabelle. She's different, and teased mercilessly by the other children. Watch her grow up as the Pumpkin Princess under an aura of suppression. Read up!
1. Annabelle Skellington

Note: OMG! This is a random plot bunny that wormed its way into my head via cold buffalo chicken at lunch and an odd conversation involving ducks, screwdrivers, special needs students, and one cold, moldy spicy chicken sandwich.

I do not own Nightmare Before Christmas, nor will I ever. It's a crying shame, too. I love Tim Burton's work.

"Wouldn't you like to see something strange?"

Chapter One: Annabelle

"Your child is perfectly healthy in most respects, sir Skellington, but there is one complication." The doctor stated dryly, as was his job. Jack twitched his left (nonexistent, but still somehow there) eyebrow in a mixture of fear and anticipation.

"What is it?" He asked through gritted teeth.

"Well, we can't exactly be sure. She seems to lack the life functions necessary to her survival, yet she's breathing and moving as energetically as any infant girl I've ever seen."

"What do you mean?" Jack's tone was sharp; he wanted to know what was wrong with his newborn daughter, and damn it, he wanted to know _now! _

"Oh!" The doctor said in surprise, "Well, um... maybe you'd better come along and see, it would be much easier than trying to explain it. I don't really understand it myself." The doctor led Jack along the stark-white corridor, a strange (but not unaccepted) change to Halloween Town's usual bleak black-and-white decor.

"See?" Jack's eyes widened in surprise as he viewed the child behind the glass window.

"And she was born... with those stitches?"

"All over her body, well, the parts that are actually there anyway. Some of her body is skeletal, and we can't understand how she inherited those genes. It's baffling. Especially since we didn't think you could have a child at all." Jack bit down on his lower lip, or where his lower lip would be, if he had one.

"That is odd... Well, it doesn't matter now. She's my daughter, and I will love her until the day she dies. After that, even. It doesn't matter to me what she looks like."

"But that's another problem, sir Skellington. It was an extremely strange birth. She was stillborn."

". . . What?"

"She was stillborn, yet somehow, she lives. None of us can figure out why. She was born with no brain function, and no heartbeat, and no pulse, and in all senses of the word, she was dead. So why does she move? Why does she coo as all babies do? How is it, now, as you are essentially standing in front of her, she can tell who her father is? It's positively insane."

Jack gave a little knowing smile.

"It just comes with being us."

End of Chapter One

The next chapter will take place when Annabelle (the baby, duh) is five years old. If you couldn't tell, she's the daughter of Jack and Sally.


	2. Teary Eyes and School Days

Note: Awww yeah. Chapter two! Whoo! I'm sooo cold right now... -puts on another sweater- It's like 80 degrees in my house and I'm still cold.

Anyway! I don't own NMBC, only my character Annabelle. You'll see soon why I named her Annabelle... y'know... if the title didn't already give it away.

"Wouldn't you like to see something strange?"

Chapter Two

"Annie, how was your day at school?" An innocent question from Father, it seemed, right? Annabelle burst into tears and jumped into her father's thin lap, burying her little stitched head in his bony chest. "Oh, honey, what happened?"

"They said mean things, Daddy. They called me Raggedy Anne and made me sad." Annabelle continued to cry.

"Well that wasn't very nice of them. Don't they know who you are?"

"Uh-huh and that makes them meaner. They say I'm freaky and they push me and Marco pushed me in the lake and miss fish lady person had to get me out because the water made me all heavy and I couldn't swim and I was drowning and they were all laughing at me and it made me cry and they started laughing at me more!" Annabelle sobbed out in one long run-on sentence.

"No! That's not right at all!" Jack stood and held his daughter against his hip protectively.

"What's not right?" Sally asked, walking into the room.

"The children at Annie's school are the most heartless little monsters I've ever heard of!"

"What happened?" Sally asked, tilting her head.

"Mommy, they were mean! They pushed me in the lake and I went all blub-blub-blub and the fish lady pushed me back on the land part and squeezed me like a spongy until all the water came out!"

"What? Why would they do that?" Sally asked.

"I dunno, Mommy, but they made me cry and they were laughing."

Jack snorted angrily. "We're going down to the school. This can't go on."

"NO! They'll laugh at me and call me names again! I don't wanna go! I don't wanna go!" Annabelle struggled against her father's thin but powerful grip until she dropped to the floor, still shrieking "I don't wanna go!" over and over.

With a lightning-quick motion, a muffled _thump_ of bone on dead flesh, and a whispered "I'm sorry," Annabelle was out cold in her bed, sleeping peacefully. Or so it seemed.

"Jack! That was cruel! She's only a little girl, you could have really hurt her!"

"Sally, it was the lesser of two evils. It was either do that, or have a screaming five year old shrieking at us over and over for hours on end. She'll be fine, I promise."

"It was still far too inhumane. Promise me you'll never do it again..."

"Sally..."

"Promise me, Jack!"

"I promise. I'll never lay a hand on our daughter ever again." Jack felt guilty. He felt guilty for hurting his precious little girl. He felt guilty for not trying to help her more. And he felt guilty about upsetting Sally, the one he loved. Jack left the house, heading towards the little red schoolhouse where Annabelle took her classes.

About an hour later, he was still pleading with the principal to do something.

"I'm sorry, sir Skellington , but the incident happened after school hours and off of school grounds. It's not our responsibility..."

"It damn well will be your responsibility! Those little monsters nearly drowned my daughter and if you don't do something about it--"

"Jack, please. Calm down."

"_No!_ They refuse to help us! Our daughter almost _died,_ Sally."

"Well, sir Skellington, I am sorry, but the school's code clearly states we take no responsibility once the final bell has rung."

"Then I'll get other authorities involved! I will _not _stand for this!" Jack stormed out of the office, knocking over his chair in the process.

Once he had left, Sally sighed. "I'm very sorry about him. When it comes to Annabelle, he gets very protective."

"I understand. I have two little ones of my own. I would gladly give up my life for them." The principal replied, fixing his glasses on his face.

"You know, before we got here, he had to knock Annabelle out with the back of his hand to keep her quiet. I wish she could grow up like a normal child."

"Well, I can't say that will be possible. It might be that the other children are jealous of her status. She is the daughter of the Pumpkin King after all."

"I know, but I wish she wouldn't come home crying every day."

"Ma'am, I believe I can bend the rules a little. I'll make sure those children who are doing such horrible things to her are brought to justice."

"Thank you very much, sir, and believe me when I say I can not thank you enough for your time."

End of Chapter Two

Next chapter takes place on Annabelle's 10th birthday.


	3. Birthday Stories

Note: Hi again from me! I'm sooo cold right now... I can't even type straight. And it's shaking me so much I feel like I'm going to puke... Does anyone know if Jack is a tenor or a bass when he sings? He sort of switches between the two and I don't know what to call it. Anyway, I don't own NMBC or any of the characters except Annabelle.

"Wouldn't you like to see something strange?"

Chapter Three

Jack walked in with the cake, singing Happy Birthday in his smooth voice, while Sally quickly (and carefully) lit the candles. Annabelle's eyes lit up.

"Happy Birthday, Annabelle!" Sally said sweetly, kissing her daughter on the head. The cake read HAPPY 10TH B-DAY on it in Jack's swirly, flowery writing, caused by him scraping away the frosting with his bony forefinger ("I'm just writing happy birthday on it, Sally, I swear!"

"Like hell you are, Jack! Stop scraping at my cake!") and writing the words in the scrapings in black frosting.

Suddenly there was a knock at the door. "I'll get it!" Jack said cheerfully. He opened the door.

"We're here to wish Annabelle a happy, happy birthday--"

"Because if we don't, we know you'll kill us anyway!" Two young (terrified-looking) boys were in the doorway. They sang out their quick and terrified praises, held out gifts to Jack, who gratefully took them to his daughter, and then the boys ran off without another word.

"Aw, look, Marco and Timothy brought you presents, honey!" Jack said happily as he laid out the presents in front of his daughter.

"Ooh! Ooh! What they bring me? WHADDID DEY BRING ME?!" She asked as he flung herself upon the presents. Sally laughed.

"Certainly like your father, aren't you?"

"Hey! I never threw myself on presents like that?"

"Oh, if my memory serves me correctly, you once did."

"Please, for the love of God, don't bring up the Christmas thing..."

"Christmas thing?" Annabelle had interjected, looking up curiously. Jack sighed.

"I'll tell you when you're older, sweetie." He copped out, just like he did when she asked why her kitty ran away, or what Mommy and Daddy were _doing _all those Thursday nights, or...

No more. Annabelle pouted. Jack couldn't resist the pout.

_Oh God... not the pout..._ he thought.

"But Daaaaaaddy! I wanna know nooooowwww!!!" She whined, waving her arms childishly.

"Jack, resist!" Sally said jokingly, as she saw Jack's resolve begin to falter. He snapped completely.

"Come on, Annie... I'll tell you all about it."

"Jack, just two seconds ago you were begging me not to bring it up and now you're telling every detail to a ten year old." Sally said skeptically.

"Yep!" Jack replied, sitting down and pulling Annabelle onto his left knee.

"So Annabelle, the story in a nutshell is this. One Halloween, I got so sick and tired of the same routine every year, year after year, that I set out to find something new. Imagine my surprise when I come across Christmas Town in the midst of my travels. There, I set to try and do it all myself. Unfortunately, not having any experience in anything other than Halloween set me back and my Halloween was a complete fiasco. Then there was a big battle, lots of music, celebrating, snow, the whole nine yards." Jack said, with flourishing hand motions and gesticulating wildly with his free hand. The pressure on his knee got a little heavier, and Jack looked down to see that his little girl was fast asleep, the stitches on her face stretching across her jaw with every breath. Sally laughed as Jack looked scandalized. "I'll go put her in bed. You put her presents somewhere safe where Zero can't get at them." Sally instructed. Jack gave an unwitting fleeting glance towards the cake that was not unnoticed by Sally.

"Yes, you can have some cake first." She said, picking up Annabelle and walking away as if she were holding a doll. Which, in all forms of the situation, she was.

Jack dived into the cake cheerfully.

End of Chapter Three

You know, I lost power today and had to retype this entire thing three times. Anyway, the next chapter will take place when Annabelle is 13.


	4. Teenage Girls

Note: Chapter Number Four! Whee! Oh god I'm so tired right now... I had a Biology test today that wiped me out. When am I ever gonna need to know the difference between a bacterium and a virus? Or the difference between a plant cell and an animal cell? It's completely useless, I tell you. Anyway, this is chapter four, where Annabelle is 13 years old and beginning that awkward stage of puberty, emotionalness, and frustrating insanity. Being a girl sucks, it really does.

I don't own Nightmare Before Christmas, just my crazy ideas and Annabelle. My next NMBC fanfiction will document Jack's life (before he died) as what I think it should be, which would be surprising to all of you. Let's just say he lived in Europe in the 1930's and 1940's. That's all the hint I'm giving you.

"Wouldn't you like to see something strange?"

Chapter Four

A crash was heard from upstairs and a high-pitched whine, causing Jack to cringe uncharacteristically. "Sally..." He mumbled hopefully, looking at his wife.

"Yes, yes, I'll talk to her." Sally replied tiredly. Jack had no idea how girls worked, really, so taking care of a 13 year old daughter going through puberty was nothis _forte. _He usually got Sally to go take care of any problems, as she was female and therefore had more control over the situation. Usually. Sometimes Sally was asleep. Or working. Causing Jack to have to go up and deal with his moody teenage daughter, which usually resulted in sharp objects being thrown at his head or his metaphorical ears being blown out due to her yelling and screaming at the top of her lungs. He noticed none of the other females in Halloween Town acted like her. He supposed it had something to do with her physiology, but he wasn't about to medically examine his teenage daughter to find out.

Sally got up and hobbled up the stairs clumsily. Sally's sewn-together legs weren't really meant for living in Jack's house, and she often opted for staying down on the first floor as often as she could. Lately, though, she found herself struggling up the narrow, steep stairs more and more to deal with Annabelle. The stairs were designed for Jack, meaning his long, skinny legs could take them several at a time, whereas her thicker, cloth-and-leaf legs were at a serious disadvantage.

"Honey?" She asked timidly, opening the door to Annabelle's bedroom, where she was promptly scared out of her wits by a large bread knife suddenly embedding itself deep in the door frame.

"Go away!" Annabelle whined, curling in a ball.

"What is it, honey?"

Annabelle began on a long rant about school, and how the other kids still made fun of her, and how Jake _still _refused to go out with her, and how her gym teacher supposedly hates her, and the rant went on and on and on.

Annabelle finished with, "My life is OVER!!!"

Sally replied by calmly reminding Annabelle that her life was technically over before it started. Therefore, not getting a date or not passing physical education was not the end of the world.

"Honey, it doesn't matter to us about your gym grade or who you like. It doesn't matter to us. We love you. We will always love you."

"I get the feeling you love me more..." Annabelle said quietly.

"Whatever do you mean, honey?"

"Dad never wants to come up and talk to me anymore. It's like he's avoiding me."

Sally frowned.

"I know, honey. Daddy's a man, and men are... well, they're kind of stupid. They mature a lot later than girls, so they seem like they have no brains at all, really."

"Really?"

"Daddy is still a kid inside, really. He just doesn't know what to do in a situation like this. You're growing up, Annie. And I guess a part of him just doesn't want to accept that. He wants you to always be his little girl." Sally pet her daughter's head gently, pushing her red hair out of her eyes. Annabelle's hair matched her mother's, but only on the left side of her head. The right side of her head was skeletal, and therefore bald.

"Really?" Annabelle asked innocently.

"Of course. We both love you, very much. We love you more than life itself."

"Mom?"

"Yes?"

"How did Dad die?"

Sally made a face.

"I don't know, dear. He still refuses to tell me. One day we'll find out."

"Okay. Mom?"

"Yes, honey?"

"Can Dad come up and talk?"

"No need, I'm already here." Annabelle and Sally looked up to see a forlorn-looking Jack standing in the doorway. He looked down at his toes, like a 8 1/2 foot tall skeletal child with his hand caught in the cookie jar. "I heard most of that conversation, and I'd like to say I'm sorry. I was wrong to avoid you, my dear daughter. You mean the world to me and it pains me to see you in such emotional stress." Jack knelt down in front of Annabelle, and still his head was above hers. He kissed the top of the skeletal side of Annabelle's skull. "Your mother is right. I don't understand most of what you're going through, but I have to say, I'm thinking this is not the best way to go about solving it. I'm not saying bottle up your anger, because that is very dangerous, but try other outlets of letting it go." Jack pulled the knife out of the door. "This? This is not a healthy way to relieve your stress. Instead of embedding knives into walls, how about punching a pillow?"

Annabelle nodded.

"Go to school tomorrow, sweetie, and if things don't go right, come talk to me. I promise, I'll be there for you this time."

End of Chapter Four

The next chapter takes place when Annabelle is 16.


	5. More Teenage Adventures

Note: -Yawn- I can't wait until I get this fiction finished so I can start _What Was Your Past, Jack?_. _What Was Your Past, Jack? _is what I think Jack's backstory should be. Trust me, it's crazy. I mean, seriously crazy. I'll give you another hint. I've been reading Night by Elie Wiesel, a story about a Jewish teenager in a Nazi concentration camp, so... Trust me. You'll be amazed.

This chapter takes place when Annabelle is sixteen and starting dating. Also, Annabelle's middle name is revealed in this chapter. ONE MORE THING! A foreshadowing to _What Was Your Past, Jack? _is present in this chapter. You can find it. I know you're smart enough.

I don't own Nightmare Before Christmas, Tim Burton does. Crap.

Chapter Five (As if I weren't pathetic enough)

"I said _no, _Annabelle! It's a school night, you know that!" Jack said firmly, crossing his slender arms in front of his chest.

"But _Daddy! _It's not like school has any meaning for me anyway! I hate school!"

"But you still have to go, and you're _not _going out tonight!"

"You never let me do anything fun!" Annabelle whined, stomping her skeletal foot on the floor. Her sewn face was red with anger, and even her exposed skull had a pinkish tinge.

"Annabelle Louise Skellington, I said no! Back upstairs!"

"Make me!" Annabelle stormed out of the house in a huff, not even bothering to grab her shoes on the way out.

"Annabelle Louise, you come back here! Annabelle!" Jack called angrily behind her, going so far as to walk halfway out the door before realizing she was already gone, then slamming the door in her wake.

It was four hours later and Annabelle had still not come home. Jack sat on the large bed he and Sally shared. Sally was out at the moment, having gone to the store to buy a few groceries. Jack sighed and looked out his window, no longer angry with her daughter but now worried for her safety. He tapped his bony fingers on the headboard of the bed, anxiously waiting her return. She'd forgotten her cell phone at the time of her leaving, and never bothered to call from a pay phone. Sally walked through the front door, but Jack mistook her for Annabelle.

"Annie?!"

Jack ran downstairs. He stopped short upon seeing it wasn't his daughter, causing him to skid across the floor and make an ungodly screeching noise via rubber shoes on hardwood flooring. "Sally! Have you seen Annabelle anywhere?"

"No, Jack, I'm sorry. After she left, I haven't seen her since."

Jack cursed loudly. "_Damn it!_ I shouldn't have been so hard on her..."

"Jack, don't blame yourself. She's sixteen now, and sometimes teenagers do things like that. They rebel and do things just because it'll piss their parents off. Don't tell me you never did things like that as a living teenager."

Jack slumped. "As a living teenager I was forced to obey the orders of the superiors or I'd be shot." He said bluntly. He then walked back upstairs without waiting for a reply. Sally cocked her head to one side, wondering what Jack meant by his statement.

Finally, it was half past midnight when Annabelle snuck back into the house, climbing up through a high window, hopefully into her room. She was wrong.

"Where have you been, missy?" She heard Jack ask through the darkness. Oh Crap, she thought, I'm in my parent's room!

"I've been out!"

"I want an answer!" Jack flicked the lights on. He blinked at seeing the state Annabelle was in. Her dress was torn, and there was a smear of blood on her skeletal cheek. She looked like she had been in a fight.

"What happened to you...?" He asked quietly. Annabelle broke down and began crying in her father's arms.

"I'm sorry I ran off, Daddy! I was wrong! Then Marco came and he... he!"

"He what? Did he hurt you?" Annabelle nodded once, sharply, and resumed crying.

"He told me I was a worthless ragdoll. He hit me and threw me into a sharp gravestone in the Old Graveyard. He said no one would ever love me and I'm just a stupid ragdoll, that I was a mistake for ever being born. Then he pushed the gravestone on top of me and I couldn't get out!" Jack was shaking. How could anyone do this to his child? He was going to kill that little bastard! Again!

"Daddy? -sniff- Daddy?"

"That little bastard is going down! Stay here, Annabelle." Jack stood up and stormed through the open window, landing catlike on the ground on all fours. He stood up and ran off, a look of pure murderous rage upon his face.

"M-mommy?" Annabelle searched through the house and found her mother in Annabelle's own room, cleaning up.

"Mom?"

"Oh, Annie! Your father and I were so worried! Oh what happened?"

"Marco... hurt me and... Daddy's gone off to kill him! I..."

"Marco did this to you?"

"I was just hanging out in the old graveyard when he..."

"What?"

"He came by...and started making fun of me, but then he... told me I was worthless... I didn't tell Dad the whole story..."

"What did you leave out?"

Annabelle got a look of pure horror and fear on her face.

"Marco raped me!"

END OF CHAPTER FIVE

Whoooooo! Creeeeeeepy. Next chapter takes place on Annabelle's 18th birthday.


	6. Fading Away

Note: Has anyone figured out Jack's past from my little tips and hints? No? Well, you'll find out soon, because _Raggedy Anne _only has a couple more chapters! This, and then one more.

This chapter has a short aftermath of the last chapter, then jumps into Annabelle's 18th birthday. The next chapter will take place... well, let's find out!

I don't own Nightmare Before Christmas, just my insane twisting of ideas.

Chapter Six

-AFTERMATH OF CHAPTER FIVE-

Jack burst into the room, seething. He stopped short upon seeing Annabelle and Sally in tears.

"Wh-what happened?" He stammered. Annabelle burst out with her terrible news. Jack's eye sockets were the size of plates. "_WHAT?!" _He screeched furiously. "That little bastard! That little, worthless, underachieving, disgusting little bastard!" He screamed and flew back out the door, murder seriously on his mind at this point.

"Daddy, no! I can handle it!"

"Honey, calm down. Daddy will take care of everything. I'm sure he won't actually hurt Marco... I hope."

Annabelle looked at the floor ashamedly. "I'm not really sure I care either way."

Sally sat down. "I can see how you would think that. He hurt you and you want revenge, don't you?"

"Uh-huh."

"Then let Daddy handle everything. He'll work things out. We'll get you all fixed up and everything will be okay."

A rock slammed through the front window, shards of glass piercing Annabelle's flesh. "Eeek!" She shrieked in pain.

The rock had a note tied to it. A note written in blood.

**Everything's been taken care of.**

The blood was so smeared that Annabelle couldn't tell if it was her father's or Marco's writing. Sally helped Annabelle up and pulled out her needle and thread. She began to sew Annabelle's face back together.

-CHAPTER SIX-

"Annabelle? Come get your work, dear." The teacher called in a kind and soft voice. Annabelle blinked and stood silently. Annabelle never spoke anymore, not after what happened with Marco. She endured the stares and stifled snickering of the other students behind her back as she hobbled up to get her schoolwork. It was the last day of school, the last day that Annabelle would ever have to endure this constant torture.

The final bell rang, and Annabelle walked home, still silent.

She wouldn't look her father in the eye anymore. And Jack realized this. He tried to do nice things for her, like take her to fun places and buy her cute toys and nice things, but she still wouldn't look him in the eye anymore.

She wouldn't talk to her mother anymore. She _couldn't _talk to her mother anymore. She was silent, a mute, doomed for a fate of quiet indifference.

Jack and Sally realized that their little girl was slipping away.

"Jack, what are we going to do? After what happened, I don't think she'll ever be the same and--"

"Please... Sally, let's not talk about this now..." Jack replied sadly, holding his skull in his hands.

"But Jack, she's our daughter! We have to help her. We love her."

"I know, Sally, but... I just don't know what to do. I'm at a loss. My mind is blank, and all I can think about is... Argh! Why? Why did I let her go out that night? Why did I... _I knew it was going to hurt her but I still did it! Why!" _He shouted, more at himself than at Sally. Nonetheless, Sally was still taken aback at Jack's outburst, especially after he punctuated the last 'why' with a sharp punch to the wall behind the bed, leaving a perfect four-fingered bony imprint in the drywall.

"You did it because you love her. Because she's your daughter, and you'd do anything to make her happy." Jack looked up and to the left sharply at the sound of the scratchy voice, one that had not been used in two years.

"Annabelle? You're talking! But... how...?" Jack asked quietly.

"You loved her... you will always love her..." It seemed that Annabelle could not hear her father, but merely kept repeating her statement.

"Of course, I love you, Annie, but why are you talking like that?"

"You love her..." Annabelle backed out of the room slowly.

"Annabelle? Annabelle!"

Jack and Sally followed their daughter to the Spiral Hill, where the full moon was quickly rising over the ominous darkness.

"Annabelle, come down from there, please!"

Annabelle faded into the light of the moon like a shadow, with only her echoing call to remain, like the grin of the Cheshire Cat... "You love her."

_"ANNABELLE!" _A deadly chorus, two grief-stricken parents who spent the last eighteen years caring for their child. Their child who did not belong. They loved her anyway. She was tortured and humiliated. They loved her anyway. Her body ruined by force. They loved her anyway.

"Annabelle..." Jack sobbed. If he had the ability, he would have vomited out of grief and horror. Hideous memories of suffering and the horrendous destruction he had once witnessed in the living world flooded back to him, as if a waterfall had burst a dam.

Jack passed out then, not able to process the images of hideous figures, illuminated by the pale, mocking moonlight...

His own people, who he was forced to destroy...

End of Chapter Six

One more chapter!


	7. Won't You Come Back To Me?

Note: The final chapter of _Raggedy Anne. _It documents not only Annabelle's funeral, but a lot of insight into _What Was Your Past, Jack?. _This chapter (and all of _What Was Your Past, Jack? _is in Jack's Point of View) and I WROTE THE POEM ON ANNABELLE'S GRAVE, SO NO STEALING! I WILL HUNT YOU DOWN AND POKE YOU! I went on an online translator to find what Jack says that's in German, so if it's badly translated, blame Google for bad results.

I don't own Nightmare Before Christmas, Tim Burton does.

If you've noticed, I stopped bothering with my start-of-chapter quote. Boo hoo, go cry on someone who cares.

Chapter Seven

_Annabelle Louise Skellington_

_Faded like the sun_

_When it sets to make room for night_

_When the stars have fled the scene_

_And the moon is the only faceless illumination_

_When the corpse-pale illumination does glow_

_And the moaning of the dying is as a lullaby _

_The souls of the damned do hear as they sink_

_Into eternal sleep._

That is what Annabelle's grave read, and will read every day. I'm still not even sure if she is dead. We never saw a body. We saw her fade away, like a shadow in the dim light of the moon. But that is all.

After her... undeath? Redeath? We don't know what to call it, but for the sake of conversation, we'll use the term "death" for now. After her death, well, you can only imagine the paralyzing shock that sifted through my bones. It was all I could do to keep the images out of my head. The images of the horrendous suffering that six million people suffered, and I was one of the six million. But I was not one of the sufferers... I was one of them who caused it.

It was all I could do to not start screaming at the top of my lungs in German. In fact... if memory serves me correctly...

_"Annabelle! Kommen Sie zu mir zurück! Verlassen Sie mich nicht! Meine Tochter! Nicht!" _I remember shouting. I remember Sally looking at me confusedly, and for good reason. When had she ever heard me speak -- let alone shout-- in German before? Never, that's when. But she was suffering as well, I could tell. Tears flowed down her face like miniature waterfalls. And who wouldn't suffer after their only daughter, just a girl at eighteen, faded away like a memory long since past...? "Here in an instant, gone in a flash" isn't that what I said once?

I remember... she didn't really belong. The others teased her, made fun of her...

Hurt her...

I remember when I stormed out to find that kid Marco who had caused her so much pain. I found him hanging out with Lock, Shock, and Barrel by the river. They swore they had nothing to do with it. I beat that Marco within an inch of his life...

No...

Wait...

I remember now. I beat him to death. He hurt my daughter, so I beat him until he begged for mercy, his vocal chords muffled by blood, then died.

_"Sieh Sie in der Hölle, Kind." _I remember saying. Saying "See you in hell, child."

I wish I could have been there for her more. She was such a moody child.

I wish I could have been a better father.

Oh Annabelle, can't you forgive a foolish old skeleton?

_Werden Sie zu mir nicht zurückkommen?_

Won't you come back to me?

END


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